ISLAMABAD — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking permission to meet PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, following a denied prison visit.
Afridi, who assumed office earlier this week, approached the court after being refused access to Imran during a visit to the prison. He claimed that as Chief Minister, he is constitutionally and morally obliged to consult his party’s founder on urgent and sensitive governance matters, especially concerning the formation of his provincial cabinet.
According to his petition, Afridi had formally notified both the federal government and Punjab’s home authorities of his intention to visit Adiala Jail. He also reportedly made a personal plea to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate the meeting, which went unanswered.
The petition names key officials, including the federal Interior Secretary, Punjab Home Secretary, the Inspector General of Punjab Prisons, and the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, as respondents in the case. Afridi has also written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan seeking oversight in arranging the meeting under proper supervision.
Afridi argued that meeting Imran Khan is essential not just within party lines but also in public interest, allowing him to receive guidance on interprovincial trade issues, law and order, and relations with the federation. He warned that without clarity from his party leader, decisions on cabinet formation and provincial governance may suffer setbacks.
This legal move comes amid heightened political tensions as Afridi seeks to assert his leadership and maintain party cohesion in KP’s administration.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.